My cat has lymphoma but is living longer. Is it IBD or cancer?

I am sorry you are frustrated with Pepe's care. Without biopsies of the intestine, lymphoma is difficult to diagnose. I don't suspect this will hurt his chances, but I would recommend talking with an oncologist about your treatment options. Lymphoma can go into remission with aggressive therapy but sometimes the best treatments fail. Good luck and kisses to Pepe!

I'm sorry you and Oscar are going through this. My honest opinion? In talking to pet parents about cancers, intestinal cancers in cats are one of the instances where I almost always urge people to go for it, and try to treat them. Why? Because they can do so well for so long. I'm assuming your vet is thinking this is either intestinal lymphoma or inflammatory bowel disease. Those two diseases cannot be distinguished from each other on ultrasound, and we often just see thickened intestines, so biopsies are needed. IBD is very treatable, and at 5 years old that is the more likely diagnosis. Some of these guys do great with just a diet change to a hypoallergenic diet. Others need immunosuppressive therapy in addition to diet, but there is an excellent drug called budesonide that has minimal systemic side effects, and works primarily in the gut. I've managed IBD cats well for 10+ years. If it's lymphoma, those cats respond well to prednisolone therapy (another, stronger immunosuppressive drug) and sometimes the addition of a well-tolerated chemotherapeutic called leukeran. I've successfully managed cats with intestinal lymphoma for 3+ years. If it's not lymphoma, and more of an issue with a focal intestinal mass, that's a whole different ballgame, but again, treatable in many cases. And I would have expected that they would have seen a mass on ultrasound, so that seems unlikely. I think the best thing about getting biopsies is having a definitive answer, and knowing what you're dealing with. Best of luck to you and Oscar in getting this figured out.

This is a very difficult situation for you to be in. When it comes to quality of life I advise owners to look at what things there cat enjoys doing and if they are still doing those things. Examples could be eating, playing, or interacting with you. If those factors are not what they should be then it is a matter of can this be fixed or not. For example if your cat is not eating due to nausea could we give him medication to make them feel better and eat. Or if they are weak due to anemia could we give a blood transfusion or stimulate the bone marrow to make more red cells to help them feel better. If though none of the interventions are acceptable to you then it might be time to assess the quality of life and end any suffering. Ultimately it is your decision about what constitutes Peter having a good quality of life and if those measures can be met or not realistically. As you know lymphoma ultimately is fatal. Some cats can do very well for a long period of time however with his dropping red cell level I am concerned about Peter's long-term prognosis.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear that. Lymphoma is an aggressive disease in cats, especially when in the gastrointestinal system and in circulation. Usually even with chemotherapy you are looking at a prognosis of 2-6 months depending on the exact type of lymphoma. You could try prednisolone as a palliative treatment to make her feel better for the time being and perhaps extend her survival time for a few weeks. If she is already anemic, she may also require a blood transfusion making things a bit more complicated. If she is not doing well and you are not interested in pursuing therapy knowing the prognosis then euthanasia is a good option. Let me know if you have further questions regarding her disease. Sorry for the sad news!

Poor Kitty! Since she is already 17 years old and she is having such a tough time with her inflammation in her GI tract, I think steroids will be the best choice for her. If her blood work looks okay now, then I think she can tolerate the steroids. Unfortunately, if you don't put her on steroids the lymphoma or IBD may continue to get worse. It is true the steroids will not CURE lymphoma, but it certainly give her a better quality of life right now. It could keep the IBD under control and eventually you may be able to decrease her steroid dose to a lower dose. The concerns of long term steroids are much lower since she is already geriatric. If she was 4 or 7 years old, then I would be much more worried with starting her on long term steroids at that time. At the age of 17, our goal is to give Kitty are good quality of life. If you want more options about the lymphoma and interested in seeing an oncologist, I would ask your vet for a referral for a oncology consult. I hope this helps!

His response to the steroid injection may be more indication that he does have lymphoma. Prednisone, a steroid, is commonly used in conjunction with a chemotherapeutic agent to treat lymphoma in cats. The steroid will decrease inflammation which may reduce his symptoms. Consider a consult with a veterinary oncologist to discuss testing for a definitive diagnosis after which treatment, if you choose, can begin.

Furbu is an adorable cat! I’m sorry if you are potentially dealing with a diagnosis of lymphoma. Intestinal lymphoma generally cannot be cured. BUT, it can be a disease that can be managed in some cases very effectively. There are multiple subtypes of lymphoma (for example small cell lymphoma vs. large cell lymphoma ). Some respond much more reliably to oral medications for long periods whereas other forms behave much more aggressively and require more intense chemotherapy to manage. Good luck with Furbu and please don’t hesitate to post if you have more specific questions !